Asia
Bold museums, a lively old souq and dunes that meet the sea.
Qatar is a compact peninsula centred on Doha, a city of glass towers along a curving waterfront. I. M. Pei's Museum of Islamic Art and the desert-rose design of the National Museum of Qatar are the cultural anchors, while Souq Waqif keeps a traditional market atmosphere. Beyond the capital, the dunes of Khor Al Adaid run down to an inland sea, and Al Zubarah Fort recalls the pearling era.
Trips tend to be short, often a stopover, and mix museums, waterfront walks and desert excursions by 4x4. Food ranges from machboos and grilled fish to cuisines from across the Gulf and Asia. November to March is pleasantly warm and ideal; summer brings intense heat and humidity that make daytime sightseeing difficult.
January, February, March, November, December.